1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cut flower preservative slurry composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cut flowers generally start to lose their freshness immediately after they are harvested. With each passing day, their petals and leaves wilt and yellow until finally the aesthetic value of the flowers is lost. The most important problems to be solved in the cut flower business, which is expected to increase the demand in the future, are how to prevent the loss of freshness of the cut flowers.
In the past, for this purpose, two types of cut flower preservative have been used: liquid type in which a high concentration liquid containing the cut flower preservative component is diluted with water when applied and solid type comprising a powdered, granular, or tableted preservative, which are dissolved in a predetermined amount of water when applied. These two types preservative, however, not only require troublesome work such as adjustment of the concentration or stirring, but also, since they are used to be homogeneous solutions, had the preservative component distributed throughout the container, which is not efficient. Further, there is the risk of environmental pollution upon its disposal. Some types of preservative component should be treated by a neutralizing agent etc.
On the other hand, it has been suggested to use antibacterial zeolite, which expects a cleansing action due to its antibacterial effect, as a preservative component for cut flower preservative (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 63-265809 or Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 4-28646). The above-mentioned antibacterial zeolite, however, is a fine powder having an average particle size of generally about 0.6 to 2.0 .mu.m, and therefore, when handled gives off fine particulates which adhere to the surrounding devices or the body due to static electricity etc.
Further, reports have been made of tablet type cut flower preservative obtained by adding equivalent amounts of weak acids or alkali carbonates to inorganic antibacterial agents such as apatite, zeolite, and phosphate salts carrying antibacterial metals, tableting them to make so-called foaming tablets, and using carbon dioxide gas to cause the inorganic antibacterial agents etc. to disperse in the container as a whole (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 6-279202). However, the method for dispersing the component by carbon dioxide gas etc. suffers from the problems that the component is not always broken down into the desired particle size, the generation of carbon dioxide gas requires mixture of at least two components, the economicalness is decreased including the use of the tableting process etc., there is a risk of harm to the cut flowers or salt pollution in the wastewater depending on the amount and type of the components for producing the carbon dioxide gas, the foaming tablets are inherently extremely hygroscopic, a reaction is easily caused even with the moisture in the air and the water which is produced from the reaction further causes the reaction to proceed until the tablet is destroyed, etc. Thus, it has been necessary to take special measures with regard to hygroscopic packaging, addition of desiccants, etc.